Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days. With Abdulwahab Tahhan, Holden Frith and Felicity Capon.
In this week’s episode, we discuss:
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Alcohol labelling
The Irish government has said it will force alcohol companies to add health warnings to their products from 2026, in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related deaths in the country. According to official statistics, one in 20 deaths in the country is the result of excess alcohol consumption. The proposals, which include graphic warnings that link drinking to cancer and other diseases, have led to a backlash in Italy and France, which have called on the EU to block them.
Extreme weather
A report published by the World Meteorological Organisation on Monday revealed that the number of people dying as a result of extreme weather has fallen dramatically over the past 50 years – despite the frequency of floods, storms and other extreme weather events rising by a factor of five over the same period. Why are we better at surviving these disasters, and will the trend continue despite climate change?
University admissions
According to a report this week, private school students are 30% more likely to get into Oxford or Cambridge if they switch to a state-funded school for their A-levels. The figures led to protests from groups representing private schools, who say their students now face unjustified discrimination. But are the country’s top universities simply correcting for inequalities embedded in the education system?
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Are Republicans going to do a deal on health care?Today's Big Question Obamacare subsidies are expiring soon
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The powerful names in the Epstein emailsIn Depth People from a former Harvard president to a noted linguist were mentioned
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The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
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The Week Unwrapped: Can musicians challenge Putin?Podcast Plus who were the ‘human hunters’ of the Bosnian war? And what should happen to captive penguins?
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The Week Unwrapped: Are British rappers the world’s best?Podcast Plus can the Maldives quit smoking? And can whales lead us to immortality?
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The Week Unwrapped: Should we be eating less fat – or more?Podcast Plus who will benefit from the surprise Dutch election result? And how can art improve our health?
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The Week Unwrapped: Will Grace Wales Bonner change Hermès for the better?Podcast Plus will nuclear fusion deliver us from climate change? Is humour the best way to take on Trump?
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The Week Unwrapped: Can bullfighting win over young SpaniardsPodcast Plus, is online fandom inherently unhealthy? And is Putin’s economy running out of gas?
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The Week Unwrapped: Who had the last laugh in Riyadh?Podcast Plus are imported eggs undermining animal welfare? And what can we do about AI deepfakes?
